Drawn to life
by Laurabeast
Summary: This is way off the original plot line, it introduces a new character as the main romantic interest. It's about what would happen if Spike were drawn to life. I hope you like it!
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own any of this, but I love it, and I hope you do too!**

It was just another day when it happened, I was just sitting at a picnic table at the park with my sketch book and I was drawing a panel in my stupid fan fiction. Oh right I always forget, my name is Leah and all that, I'm nothing special just some semi chubby brunette, not tall thin or blond, I have green eyes not blue, but bonus I have huge boobs so I guess I have that going for me. Any way I'm an artist, not one of those depressed goth ones just a normal antisocial artist, and I was drawing at the park, wishing my comics could be real, when I heard this huge thundering sound and everything flashed when my vision cleared he was there.

Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer is standing in front of me black leather trench coat and all. He yelped throwing his coat over his head and heading for shade as he started to sizzle, I scrambled up snatching my sketch book so I could follow him.

"Bloody Fucking Hell! How the bloody hell did I get here?" He cursed as he reached the shade of a back ally by the little park.

"That, is a really good question, I was just drawing you and then there was a flash and now you're here." I said breathing hard, you never really got to see it in the show but he was crazy fast when he ran.

"Right, and who the sodding hell are you?" He asked looking at me in total shock, I opened my mouth to explain but I honestly couldn't come up with any good explanation.

"Um I'm Leah." I told him weakly, I don't know what I'd expected when I followed him but this was definitely not going as planed.

"Well good on you, now send me back!" Spike exclaimed, I just stood there wide eyed with my mouth open looking all panicked and pathetic.

"I don't know how, I don't even know how you got here, you're not even supposed to be real." I stammered, he cocked his head at me looking properly confused.

"Run that by me one more time pet." He said in a flat voice that I recognized as Spikes trade mark defense mechanism facade. I'd just told him his whole world was fake that was like fantasy 101 shit, don't tell the imaginary character that is now real some how that he's fake what a twat.

"I don't know how to send you back." I told him hoping that was what he wanted me to repeat, he shook his head. No such luck I guess.

"That's not what I meant and you bloody well know it. You said I'm not supposed to exist, why?" He asked staring right at me with those intense blue eyes, and that's when I saw it the little purple line in his left eye from where I'd used the wrong colored pencil. He wasn't Spike from Joss Whedons Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he was the Spike from my fan fiction, the one who'd gotten his soul back instead of Angle only without the happiness clause at the end of season two the first time Willow tried the spell and thought she'd failed, she'd just been drawing him getting out of his car after hitting the Sunnydale sign. He'd just come back to see if he could get his soul removed and Buffy had just come back from L.A.

"Um, I." I stuttered still too caught up in the realization to answer the question, he rolled his eyes grabbing my shoulders, and leaning down to look me in the eyes.

"Look, luv, I'm sure you got your knickers in a right twist over this but I need you to tell me what you know, I have things I need to do, someplace that's not here, so just get on with it." He said, his accent wasn't quite right and he said some things the Spike from the show wouldn't but he was so close to identical it was baffling.

"Well, um I was drawing you in a story and it was a fan fiction from a show, as far as I know vampires don't even exist in this world I'm sorry Spike. I mean this could just be a different dimension or something I mean obviously something super natural happened." I told him holding the sketch book open for him to the page I'd been on tossing the colored pencils still stuck between the pages on the ground.

He took it from me, and I bent down scooping up the colored pencils on the ground and sticking them in the bag that still hung from my shoulder with the rest of my art supplies. Spike was still staring a the page when I was done, I looked over at it. It was still the same nearly finished picture except for the crisp white negative space where Spike had been standing in the opened door of his Desoto.

"This is where I just was, you made this, you made me? That's bullocks, I'm not a bloody figment!" He said tossing my sketch book at the ground with a snarl.

"Obviously, that doesn't give you an excuse to toss my life's work about like so much rubbish, you dick." I said snatching up my sketch book and clutching it to my chest, it was thick and worn out but it had some of my favorite things in the world in it.

"Okay, ya I'm sorry, just a little overwhelmed, you plucked me out of my life and told me I was a figment. Not really calming news that." Spike said, and I knew I didn't have the right to be mad I mean Spike was still learning how to deal with having a soul, and now he'd been totally displaced, and it was all my fault somehow.

"I know, and you being new to the whole soul having thing can't help, I didn't mean to flip, this is just really important to me." I told him he cocked an eye brow at me more then a little shocked.

"What else do you know about me?" He asked running his hand through his hair loosing one of his platinum curls and then stuffed his hands in his pockets elbows locked straight in his classic gesture of insecurity. It was so odd to know so much about someone I was talking to, I was more then a little clueless when it came to real people.

"I, I know a lot, do you want a list or..." I broke off not sure where I was going with that thought, he snickered shaking his head and wrapping his arms around his chest.

"Right, list away." He said expectantly, I bit my lip Buffy had been my favorite show, I knew way more then would possibly be okay for me to know, if I told him everything he was going to spaz, but I didn't want to lie.

"I know everything that happened between you and Buffy, and I know about Drucila, and Angelous, and I know about your mom, and I know how you got your soul back, and about the two slayers you killed, and how you got the name Spike, and that Dracula owes you 11 quid, however much that is, for burning you copy of the bram stoke book Drcula made you buy." I tried to be vague but there was just so much that I knew, he was looking paler then usual.

"You know about my mum?" He asked, I looked away a little ashamed I knew he hadn't told anyone about what he'd done to Anne.

"Ya I'm sorry, she loved you though, what that monster said and did' it wasn't your mom." I told him, he looked at me stunned for a second before his emotionless mask came back.

"Let's not have a heart to heart just yet luv, I don't even know you. Now if you don't mind this rapidly diminishing shade won't be here long so unless you want to have this chat with a pile of ash I suggest we move else where." He said calmly, I nodded.

"Right sorry, I'll run and get my van." I told him rushing off, suddenly glad I had that stupid stalker van so I could fit my art in the back. The bulky blue beater was right where I'd left it by the broken parking meter that always said there was fifteen minutes left.

I got in doing my best to hurry, I didn't really want him going up in flames while I worried about speeding, my car wasn't exactly close to the ally he was hiding in. I stopped as close to the ally way as I could climbing over my seat and opening the side door.

Spike dashed from the shadow into the van with his coat over his head, I had to jump out of the way as he threw himself into my van. I slammed the door shut behind him keeping the sun out, he pressed himself against the back door of the van to get out of the sun from the front window.

"Bloody good thing you don't drive a convertible, pet." Spike commented rubbing his smoking hands gingerly.

"I don't have the funds to pay for gas most of the time much less a sports car. My place isn't far you can crash there, while we try and figure this out." I told him He smirked shaking his head and straightening out his jacket.

"Well, you do seem to have a knack for making things real, why don't you just draw your self some quid?" He asked as I moved back to the drivers seat and started towards my place.

"I'm not sure it works that way." I said pulling into the other lane, my place wasn't far and it had a parking garage connected to it so it would be easy to get him inside.

"So this is your place?" He asked when he got out of the back of my van, I looked around at the very underwhelming little parking garage that was for at least three other apartment complex's.

"Ya it's not the nicest place but it's cheap, and I don't get a lot of commissions lately so I make due. Don't judge until we're inside at the very least." I told him leading him to a large old elevator that had one of those folding metal grates for a door. My place was a rent controlled loft apartment, I had most of the living area strewn with art supplies and art in varying stages of completion.

"These are brilliant, luv." Spike said picking up one of my canvases, it was one of my only self portraits only in the picture I'm a witch holding a spell book with magic swirling around me.

"It's not that good, I'm way too yellow." I criticized he laughed looking back over his shoulder at me.

"It looks beautiful, you're quite the artist, which makes sense with the Drawing me to life thing." He told me setting it down and perusing my apartment like he owned the place, with his arms wrapped around his chest.

"Thanks, I ah, I don't have a spare room or anything, or even a couch for that matter, but, I have a sleeping bag, I mean if I can't get you back before you know you need sleep." I explained, he shook his head not looking terribly optimistic about it.

"I've slept worse places as I'm sure you know, if I get knackered I'll be just fine on the floor." He said going back to the scattered art, he seemed momentarily distracted from his plight by the piles of my art work.

"I do commissions if you like anything, I know you're more of a poetry kind of guy, but I'd like to think of my art as still frame poetry." I said, he snickered running her tongue along the back of his teeth.

"It's a little unsettling when you talk like you've know me since I was a simpering human." Spike admitted flipping through my canvases, I blushed I knew this had to be really strange for a complete stranger to know him so well.

"If it helps, I'll answer any questions you have." I told him, he started wandering towards my kitchen.

"If we're going to play twenty bloody questions I'm going to need a drink." He told me opening my fridge.

"I have a bottle of Jack in the freezer that my ex left here, and a bottle of vodka from new years, I think that's it though, I'm not much for drinking." I told him reaching around him and opening the freezer. He went for the Jack as expected so I took the other bottle and searched my cupboard for my shot glasses, I'd gotten them as a gift last St. Patties day so they had poorly done four leaf clovers painted on them and they said kiss me around the bottoms. Spike took one laughing at the cheesy design on the glasses.

"Very classy." Spike mused pouring the jack into his glass and gulping it down before I'd even finished pouring mine. I went back to the fridge and snagged a coke for a chaser before I sat down next to him on the stool that sat by the island that separated the kitchen from the living space.

"So you're single then." Spike said more then asked gulping down his next glass, I slammed my glass and cracked open my soda to chase it.

"Ya for a while now I was with this last guy for a long time but he left me, for my sister." I said not able to look at him when I said it it was so humiliating.

"Tough break, luv, my girl left me for my sire so I can relate." Spike told me taking another shot, I smiled weakly.

"Ya, but Dru was crazy, and the only way she could cope with the pain Angelous had caused her was to make herself like it. You aren't like him you wanted to protect her and she needed you to hurt her." I tried to reassure him, he chuckled running his hand through his hair and swigging right from the bottle.

"Well, pegged that one right on the nose, luv." He laughed in self loathing, I looked over at him waiting for him to meet my eye.

"You're a good person Spike with or without your soul, that's something to be proud of, not ashamed of." I told him, he laughed out rightly this time.

"Without a soul I did thing you couldn't even imagine." Spike spat the words like they disgusted him even more then he let on.

"You were what Angelous made you, when you turned the first thing you thought of was saving you mom, most vampires just want to rip them to shreds, I've seen what you could be when you're out of the influence of evil." I told him, he looked at me in disbelief, but the honesty in my eyes was undeniable.

"You honestly believe that don't you pet, hu, never had anyone believe in me before?" Spike mused downing a good portion of the bottle of jack. We did a few shots in silence while he thought about it.

"Okay, ya, twenty questions, what's this story that I come from?" He asked reluctant to here the answers I had.

"It's about Buffy actually, um you come in, in the second season, but you're such an interesting character that they kept you for seven other seasons. A lot of things are different in your world then in the show you originally came from. I was drawing an alternate version, one with a better ending." I told him he looked pleased about that at least, I never had liked seeing him look sad.

"Right well that's good news at least I'm not some flunky that gets offed in the next episode, wouldn't that be just bloody marvelous." Spike said he was starting to look like the jack might be affecting him, he was more then half way through what was once a very large full bottle.

"So do I ever get this soul out, or Dru back?" He asked sipping at his overflowing glass now looking a little desperate to know if his life ever sorted it's self out.

"No, but your life does get better, you actually end up with Buffy and save the world a few times, but you also never had a shocking trip out of your dimension to talk about your future with some girl you just met." I told him honestly, Spike was always an honest man so I figured it would be best to tell him the truth when I could.

"I end up with Buffy that's bloody bollocks, that prissy bint would drive me up the wall." He insisted, I couldn't help but laugh, she really did drive him crazy most of the time.

"Well it's just one possible out come, but you shouldn't rule her out just yet, she's more then she seems." I told him, I didn't want to affect his relationship with Buffy, they were meant for each other after all.

"Good to know I still have a choice, luv." He said taking a swallow form the bottle, I was only on my third shot.

"You're falling behind there luv, let's make it more fun every time one of us says the word yes, or any derivative we drink then I won't feel like such a lush." Spike told me, I smiled letting him pour me another drink.

"Ya, okay. Any more questions?" I said downing my shot since I'd just said ya, he did the same, it was nice to have someone to do these kind of things with again.

"Yes actually, how do you plan to get me back?" He asked pouring and then taking his shot, while I did mine. He poured me another shot while I thought about it, I had no idea if I could even draw something into existence again much less how to reverse it.

"Well I guess I could try drawing you a portal home. I don't even know how I got you here much less how to undo it." I told him he nodded which I took as a good sign, maybe it wasn't as crazy a plan as I thought.

"Sounds good, I figure we can give it a go tomorrow. Not really fond of magic, not sure if that's what you're doing but best if you're well rested when you try, ya?" He asked rhetorically, I nodded he was probably right, we both drank our shot.

"Here I thought you'd have all the sorted questions flying around, ya know who was your first lover and what's your favorite position. All with the leering and the cocking of eyebrows and all that." I said starting to feel a bit tipsy, he laughed shaking his head.

"Any other day luv, and those probably would have been at the top of the list, I'm just a little off my game what with the dimensional travel and all." Spike said with a smirk. "Well since you brought it up, tell me all the sorted details of your first shag, I'm sure you know about Dru and I?" I blushed I really shouldn't have given him ideas.

"It was with this stupid guy I met at this party my friend had thrown for me, I got drunk and ended up back at his place, I didn't sleep with him that night, I didn't want to seem like a whore, but he was sweet and he actually wanted to be with me so one thing lead to another. It was in my bed nothing special or shocking and he was really not good. He kept babbling about how he couldn't get off if I didn't except that he did every time and I didn't in fact my first time to actually enjoy sex was over a year later with my last guy, and even then it was only two or three times the whole time we were together. Wow I'm rambling, and totally inappropriately too." I blushed nudging him playfully I was a little drunk now and my filter wasn't working very well.

"Sounds like you need to pick better lovers, I'd be happy to help you with that if you fancy me to." He said, brushing the hair from my eyes, I leaned into his touch, it'd been way too long and he was smoking hot.

"Ya, and what makes you think you'd do any better?" I asked teasingly taking another shot, he leaned in only inches from my face, I could smell the alcohol on his breath, filled with spice cool against my flushed skin.

"Luv, I could make you feel things you can't even dream of." He whispered leering and running his tongue along his teeth. I leaned in kissing him, his lips were so soft sending a shiver down to my core, his masterful lips delivered on his promise. No one had ever made me feel like this with just a kiss. He tasted like smoke and jack, with a hint of spice that I'd never tasted before. His tongue was like velvet moving against my clumsy lips like a practiced master.

I backed away breathing hard, I couldn't do this, this was Spike, Buffy's Spike not to mention he wasn't even real a few hours ago. I stood up trying to put a little more space between me and him, I didn't want to screw anything up if I could figure out a way to get him back to where he came from.

"I'm really drunk and I ah, I think I'm going to go take a shower and get ready for bed." I said rushing off, I looked at the clock in the bathroom, it was only six o-clock, it wasn't even dark outside yet. I ran cold water splashing it on my face, I'd never been so hot for anyone before.

"Luv, are you alright, I'm a little buzzed I didn't mean to upset you." Spike called through the door. "Though I do believe you kissed me." Spike added, I could here him leaning against the door calmly.

"I just shouldn't have done that you don't belong in my world, and I just met you, and you're in love with someone else." I called back to him, I could practically hear him roll his eyes.

"Right, ya I have the whole future thing, I know I just met you, but I know for a fact that I'm not in love with any one as of late." Spike said in frustration through the door, I could hear him thump his forehead against the door.

"But you're meant for her, the way you two dance, fists and fangs, golden hair and leather boots. You say it your self later, she's poetry in motion, and you're her perfect match. I can't do this knowing what happens if I can get you back there." I said slumping against the wall, good God my love life was tragic, I felt like such a slut too, I might know him better then I knew my own sister, now there's a slut, but he'd only just met me.

"Right, I'll just be in the kitchen, polishing off your jack." Spike said walking away, I sighed locking the door and starting to peal off my clothes. I took my time getting undressed setting my clothes in a pile by the door.

"What do you think you're doing Leah, he's so out of your league, not to mention as soon as he realizes he can have Buffy the perky, energetic, sexy slayer he won't even think twice about leaving you." I said to myself slapping my hand over my mouth, he was a vampire he could probably hear me ranting in here like an idiot.

I climbed into the shower letting the warm water run down my skin soothing the stress of my rather bizarre day. I lathered with the cherry blossom body wash as slowly as I could manage getting every inch before I rinsed off. I shampooed and conditioned my hair twice, and then when I had completely run out of things to do I got out and toweled off.

I brushed and dried my hair slowly, moisturizing with my new body cream and throwing on my old fuzzy robe. I picked up my clothes and folding them before I went to my room, there was no door to my bedroom just a shower curtain but I closed it anyway.

"Hey, luv, are we alright?" Spike asked sounding a little more sloshed then when I'd gone into the bathroom. I slipped into my pajamas and pulled the curtain open so I could talk to him.

"Ya we're okay, I'm sorry I spazed out on you. I just don't drink very often, it makes me do some stupid stuff." I told him, he'd taken his leather jacket, boots and socks off and was standing right in front of me in his tight black tee and jeans. He looked almost boyish, his hair was coming out of it's slicked back style, and his bare feet were pale against his dark jeans.

"Well, I'll have to remember that for next time, and let you have the hard stuff, eh, luv." He joked, I smiled sheepishly. "Just stop trying not to be you around me just because it might play mary hob with my time line. I came here for a reason, and even if you sent me back right now things would be different." Spike told me him having a soul so early in his time line seems to have changed him more then I'd planed to write into the fan fiction.

"I'll try, I don't, I'm not used to all this supernatural stuff." I explained rubbing my arm, he leered at me in my shorts and tank top.

"I'm not used to having someone who knows me the way you do and doesn't want to stake me, or leave me for a bloody chaos demon." Spike admitted cocking his eye brow at me, I had a feeling if I kissed him again that this might end with me moaning his name, but I couldn't, I didn't want to mess up his world.

"Well, I always admired you, after everything you went through with Cecily, Dru, and your mom, you still love with all your heart, and soul. I've never been through even half of what you have and I can't even bring myself to trust the people who say they love me." I told him biting my lip, he smiled.

"Well, luv, I guess you should get your winks, I don't want to impose any longer then I have to I've got a bloody marvelous future to get back to." Spike said brushing his finger across my cheek.

"Right I'll get you the sleeping bag." I took it out of the closet in my bed room, he followed me into my room. I handed it to him and he set it up on the floor by my bed.

"Is this alright or do you want me to sleep out there?" Spike asked, I shook my head crawling under my soft, fluffy, comforter.

"No you're good." I told him feeling oddly comforted by his presence, usually I couldn't get any sleep when people slept over much less a vampire. I slept soundly and woke up to the sound of the shower running. For a second I was confused but then I remembered about spike and everything that had happened yesterday afternoon.

"Do you want something to eat, I don't have any blood but I have left over hot wings." I asked as I walked out into the hall rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I heard the shower turning off while I headed for the kitchen trying to smooth my hair back.

"Hot wings sound brilliant, I'll be out in a tick." He answered, I pulled the hot wings out of the fridge in it's Styrofoam box, they were packed in with a delicious burger that I planed to have for my breakfast of champions. I threw the hot wings and just the burger patty in the microwave and poured myself a glass of milk surprisingly my head didn't hurt at all from last night. Someone knocked at the door making me jump.


	2. Chapter 2

"Just a second." I said putting my glass down, I went over and looked through the peep hole, I cringed when I saw him.

"Chad I told you I don't want to talk to you." I said locking the chain on the door and opening it far enough to look at him when I told him to fuck off. He was doing his best not to look angry, he wasn't that bad of a guy when he could keep his temper under wraps, which hadn't stopped him from trying to put my last boyfriend in the hospital.

"Come on baby, I just want to talk, I promise I won't be any trouble." He pleaded, I shook my head I'd heard this tune before, and the notes were getting kind of stale.

"I've listened to all your lies before Chad, just leave." I told him trying to close the door, He growled slamming the door open and breaking the chain.

"Don't you close the door on me, you're mine, I love you, how can you ignore that!" Chad yelled grabbing me, I knew where this was going, he'd always been violent, but I wasn't as scared as I used to be, I actually felt safe.

"I think she asked you to bugger off, mate." Spike said pulling Chad off me, He was in just his low fitting, tight jeans. He was fit as hell too, even in the middle of this altercation I had to stop myself from drooling over him.

"And who the fuck are you, are you fucking him you little whore?" He screamed getting in our faces, I cringed away but didn't back down like I usually did.

"Ya mate, and she's a bloody good shag, had her moaning my name all night long. Guess she doesn't really miss you, now piss off." Spike told him confidently making me blush, he was a few inches shorter then chad but he definitely had the upper hand.

"I'm going to fucking kill you!" Chad yelled swinging wildly at Spike who dodged without even thinking about it bringing himself around for an upper cut to Chad's face drawing blood. He kicked him right out the door with his second attack then went out and picked him up by the collar and pinning him against the wall in the hall way.

"If you ever come back here or bother my girl again, I will rip out your skull and drink deep of your hearts blood." Spike threatened in a low frightening tone that was way too calm for the situation he was in.

"You can have the fucking bitch, she's just worthless seconds now anyway." Chad spat, trying to worm his way out of Spikes hold, I could tell he was trying not to slip into his game face and rip Chad's throat out. Instead he slammed him against the wall again and threw him on the floor kicking him in the ribs. Chad scrambled up and ran away, I couldn't help but laugh as he scurried down the stairs, I'd never seen him scared it was nice not to be the one with the bruises.

"Who was that wanker?" Spike asked licking his bloodied knuckles in full game face now, he wouldn't turn and look at me like that though.

"That was one of my oh so charming exes, he's the worst of them, he wasn't my last boyfriend but he's obsessed and he just won't go away, though you may have solved that problem for me." I told him, trying to get him to look at me.

"No offense luv, but you have awful taste in men." Spike joked, but he was right, I'd never been with someone who loved me with all his heart and treated me well.

"Ya well, I only see the best in people until they betray me. I guess that makes me naive." I sighed, he looked at me over his shoulder.

"Or just a hell of a woman who wants to bring out the best in folks." Spike countered, I smiled and blushed I didn't get compliments very often, much less ones that weren't painfully superficial from the text book example of male sex appeal in almost no clothes.

"Can I, um, wow this is going to sound creepy, can I touch your face, I've always wondered what it would feel like like that?" I asked walking over to him so he had to face me, He looked down at me with concern in his yellow eye.

"If you want to luv, most humans find it repulsive." He said his voice a little tight like he thought I was going to call him a freak. I reached up running my fingers along the ridges above his eyes gently, when my feather of a touch reached his lips I looked up at his eyes with genuine curiosity and nothing else.

"Can I?" I asked my fingers hovering over his lips, he opened his mouth making a funny face so I could touch his fangs. I snagged my thumb on one, and it started bleeding.

"Ah, there sharp." I said not sounding at all worried that I just got cut by the fangs of a hungry vampire. He sucked my thumb into his mouth licking the blood away sensually with his rough cat like tongue. I moaned the gesture had closed the wound and it didn't sting anymore.

"Bloody ambrosia." He whispered leaning towards me like we might kiss again but then the microwave dinged breaking the spell, had it really only been five minutes?

"Breakfast is served." I said rushing off to get the food, I hadn't actually intended to leave it in the whole time so everything was really hot. Spike reached around me snagging one of the scorching boneless hot wings and popping it in his mouth, I struggled not to jump, I hadn't even heard him move.

"So, after breakfast I'll get to work on sending you back." I told him flipping my sketch book open to a blank page and opening my art case.

"Right, be out of your hair in no time, luv." He said we spent the rest of the meal in silence while I sketched out the beginnings of this portal he needed and he got dressed.

"Are you sure I have to go back, everything in that place reminds me of the monster I was and how alone I am, bollocks I'm such a nancy." He said finally, I looked up from my book setting my pencil down.

"Your not alone, I'll always be here watching over you." I told him hoping it was actually comforting and not just creepy. I picked up my colored pencils and kept working, he smiled getting up to throw out the food containers. It took me a little less then an hour to finish the picture of the portal to Sunnydale in my house. As soon as I did the air turned electric as a whirling portal appeared sucking in every thing around it like a tornado.

"I didn't mean to make it do that." I yelled over the noise of crashing art supplies while I clung to the counter to keep from being pulled in. Spike was slowly sliding towards the portal on the other side of the counter searching for something to hold onto.

Spike slipped through the vortex without a word like he'd never even been there, I thought that the portal would shut after he went through put it didn't it just got stronger. I was slipping over the top of the counter painfully, I lost my grip and was flung towards the portal. I landed on the other side in a heap on top of Spike and some of my other things.

"Bloody hell, luv, that wasn't exactly a smooth ride." He said holding me, he'd stopped me from crashing into the pointy end of my easel. I stood up helping him up with me, the entire contents of my living room was scattered over the road next to Spike's car.

"I wasn't exactly planning on coming with." I said picking up my art and other things that I could in the area and stuffing them carefully into the back of his car.

"Well I won't complain luv. I'm sure you can get home the same way you got me here." Spike told me helping me collect all my things and put them in his car.

"We should head to restfield cemetery there's a crypt there that has good sewer access and it can be dug out into a pretty nice home." I told him sliding into the passenger seat of his car, he got in starting the car and looking at me sideways.

"You sure are a handy bird to have around, you sure you have to leave?" He asked driving to the cemetery, through the poorly lit streets. I never thought I'd see this place, it was spectacular.

"Well I don't have to go home right away. I've always wanted to see this place, but if I'm going to go anywhere I'll need something other then my pajamas." I said gesturing at my shorts and tank top with no bra.

"I'll get you some clothes, luv, don't fret on that. I'll have to find us a bed too, but the night is young." Spike promised putting his arm around my seat, I looked over at him, he looked so collected and confident nothing like the soul struck tormented vampire he was, I mean just the day before he'd been looking to have his soul removed.

"So do you still want Willow to remove your soul?" I asked leaning on his arm, he stared at the road for a while looking deep in thought.

"No, I don't think I ever really wanted it gone, it just hurts I spent months before I could even imagine going to get help, but now I'm not sure I want to go back to being who I was, I did bloody awful things and well I don't want to disappoint you luv. Bloody hell, I just met you and I'm already turning into a simpering ninny." Spike laughed at himself, he'd never been big on sharing especially with the person he had feelings for.

"I'm glad, I like you better this way, the sensitive bad ass, Vampire with a soul. Way cooler then Angel." I told him, he laughed genuinely this time.

"You sure do know how to pamper a fella's ego luv. But then again knowing all the right things to say probably helps." Spike told me pulling his car into an all night parking lot behind the cemetery.

"I don't know all the things to say, I just say what I feel, I won't lie to you ever, it's not my thing." I told him truthfully I hated liars and lying made me queezy, he got out of the car and came over to my side opening the door for me and offering me his hand to help me out, I took it happily.

"Bloody rarity that is, I'm not much for lies myself. Now where's this crypt you mentioned luv?" He asked as I got out of the car and lead me through a gap in the fence, I looked around it all looked so different from here, I made him pace the cemetery three time before I found it.

"Ah ha this is the one." I exclaimed hopping a little in excitement it was so much bigger and more elegant then I'd expected. It was musty and dark inside but Spike took out his zippo illuminating the empty crypt. There were a few candles which he promptly lit burning away some of the spider webs around the room.

"Not bad luv." Spike said looking around and brushing off the numerous flat surfaces filling the air with dust. I walked to the back of the room and almost fell in the hole to the lower level in the darkness.

"Ah! Well hey I found it. You should go check it out down there, it's a little dark down there and no ladder so unless you want to carry me back up, I think I'll stay here." I told him, he brought a candle over to me setting it down on the floor by where I was sitting.

"Okay, ya, I'll check it out, just be careful luv, I don't want you getting hurt." Spike told me disappearing into the hole I was next to. He came back up with a startling leap landing next to me sitting at the edge of the hole.

"Bloody brilliant you are, the cave down there is huge with perfect sewer access even a good place to put a shower in." Spike awed leaning back against the sarcophagus, I smiled I knew he'd like it.

"Well I'm glad you like it, this is were you lived in the other time line." I told him, he rolled his eyes at me.

"I should have known, well no point in sitting around here, let's go get you some clothes luv." he said standing up and reaching down to help me up, he pulled me to my feet only inches from him and lead me back out into the crisp night air. I rubbed my arms it wasn't exactly tropical out here in my P.J.'s.

"You're cold luv, here, it's not like I get chilly." Spike said taking his coat off and wrapping it around my shoulders, I slipped it on, it was soft and worn and smelled like musk, smoke, and a certain manly spice.

"You don't let just anybody ware Nikki's old jacket, I must be pretty damn special." I teased, he put his arm around my shoulders.

"I trust you, which is new to me luv." Spike explained, it was so odd to get to walk with someone like this, much less Spike, but it was nice. We went to an all night general store and Spike nicked me some clothes while I asked the store clerk about the town and what things there were to do here. I met him outside the store and he gave me the clothes he'd gotten for me, they were nice a silk low cut blouse, low rider jeans, tennis shoes, stalkings, and a silky black and red lacy bra. I made him stand watch while I changed in the ally next to the store.

"You look bloody marvelous." Spike told me gawking at the form fitting clothes he'd gotten me, I smoothed them out and tucked my tiny P.J.'s in the pocket of Spike's jacket.

"Thanks, hey, let's go to the bronze, I've always wanted to go there." I said grabbing his hand and leading him in the general direction of the bronze, he wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Bronze it is luv, I'm not the most popular with the local color though luv so don't be shocked if we have to leave early." Spike explained, I leaned into him he smelled so good, I could almost forget that this wasn't my world. Spike had to stop and dust a fledgling who got upiddy on the way he was so agile and blindingly fast, but other than that the trip was uneventful.

"Hey, if I'm going to be around for a while you should teach me how to fight like that, I'm not really big on the self defense." I asked he shrugged rubbing my arm gently while we walked.

"I'd be more then happy to go a round with you luv, but if it's defense you're worried about, I'd like to think I can take care of it pet." Spike said, I smiled nudging him playfully, he swept me up throwing me over his shoulder.

"That's quite enough out of you luv." He said, I squeaked holding on to him in shock struggling to get back on the ground, he nudged me up into the air catching me in a cradled position so I could wrap my arms around his shoulder, he set me down gently, it took a few more seconds for me to let go of him. I slapped his chest lightly.

"You meany, warn me next time, you made me make that stupid squeaky noise." I complained, he pulled me closer walking with his arm around me again.

"That's what happens when you tease vampires luv, they get mean." Spike teased, how had we gotten like this, I'd known him almost all my life but, he'd just met me. It was like we'd always been like this, together.

"ID?" The man at the door asked, I looked at Spike desperately, I had no ID and I was pretty sure he didn't either. He handed the man an ID and a ten, he gave Spike back his fake ID and pocketed the ten letting us in.

"This place is way cooler then I expected." I said excitedly, looking around and eying the dance floor, I could see Faith out in the middle with a vampire, this was the first day she showed up, I couldn't believe this was real. I looked over at the lounge area, and there they were as expected, Willow, Cordy, Xander, Oz, and Buffy.

"Oh, let's get a blooming onion." I said bopping over to the counter, Spike came with he was the one who actually ordered, he got hot wings, a beer, and a coke too. I slipped through the crowd to find a table over by Buffy and the gang, who were just heading outside to meet Faith. Spike came over with the food setting it down and pulling his chair up next to mine.

"These are the best." I said chowing down on the oniony goodness, Spike was picking at it too, I'm sure it wasn't as good with the dampened sense of taste vampires had.

"There a modern miracle, I like mine a little spicier but still top notch." Spike agreed popping down a few hot wings with his beer.

"Come dance with me." I said getting up and grabbing his hand, he got up to follow and I ran right into Buffy.


	3. Chapter 3

"Spike, get away from her!" Buffy threatened pulling a stake out of her sleeve. I put myself between the two of them when I saw Spike look at her threateningly.

"Wow, down Buffy, he's not here to hurt anyone." I said holding my hands up in a gesture of peace, she looked at me like I was crazy.

"Who the hell are you, how do you know me?" Buffy asked taken a back by my standing up for him, her friends gathered behind her with faith.

"It's a long story." I said, Faith moved to the front of the group.

"I'm new and all B so what's going on?" Faith asked gesturing to the two of us, I grimaced Faith was known for her level hotheadedness.

"We're just going to dance, nothing to worry about from us Faith. We're five by five." I told her trying to just walk by.

"That's Spike, he's a vampire, a master vampire and whatever he's doing here it can't be good, and who ever she is, she knows way too much and is probably in danger." Buffy explained, I rolled my eyes I forgot how stubborn she was about her assumption that just because she'd seen Spike when he was evil, he always would be.

"Well why didn't you say so lets get with the slayage." Faith said, my eyes went wide, this was not good.

"Hey, back the hell off slayers, Spike isn't evil and I'm not going to let you stake him just because you're new in town Faith. Spike has a soul now, it was good enough for you to leave Angel alone. Look I know you're going through a lot right now, with all the Acathla stuff, but don't take it out on Spike!" I yelled getting more then a little angry that they weren't listening at all.

"Wait he has a soul now how?" Willow asked, Xander and Cordy were all shocked by my outburst, Cordy shook her head and went off to find food.

"I don't see where this is stopping us from slaying him." Faith said, Spike was just gaping down at me like I'd grown another head or something.

"It was Willow's spell, when she got interrupted it got all messed up and gave Spike his Soul instead of Angel." I told them, which even Spike didn't know he wrapped his arms around my waist just in awe of me, which was very odd.

"Really my spell worked, wait does that make him a good guy, or um, what does this mean?" Willow asked, looking over at Oz, who just shrugged.

"How do we know she's even telling the truth about him I mean he's evil?" Xander asked looking shocked and affronted by the very idea of Spike being not evil.

"Because Xander He's not ripping your throat out right now which is what evil Spike would be doing. What's wrong with you guys? Look if you're really that worried I'm sure there is some kind of spell in Giles' books that can guarantee it, now if you don't mind, I'm going to go dance with Spike now, feel free to watch if it makes you feel better." I said pulling Spike with me to the dance floor with me. He pulled me close kissing me passionately, and then leaning his head against mine looking in my eyes.

"You are one hell of a woman, Leah. No one has ever stood up for me like that. You are so different from anyone I've ever met luv." Spike breathed running his hands through my hair and kissing me again.

"Spike, I, I don't belong here, you are the most incredible person I've ever met, but it's not my place." I looked like I might cry, this totally sucked.

"No, but why not indulge while you're still here luv?" Spike offered hopefully, and the pleading look in his ice blue eyes was too much to resist. I leaned in kissing him with all my heart, he wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me to him and off my feet, I was glad he had too since my knees went week with the heat and passion in his lips, that tasted of spice and smoke.

"Bloody love the way you taste." He murmured against my neck kissing his way up from my shoulder to my lips, I nipped at the pulse in his neck and he almost crumbled. As it was he moaned my name, moving back to my neck while we swayed to the music. Buffy pulled him off me violently.

"I'm not going to let you..." She started scolding him and stopped in her tracks when she saw no bite mark.

"Piss off Slayer, I'm playing nice, now shove off and do the same." Spike growled pulling me back into his arms protectively. She looked embarrassed and retreated back to her friends, Faith laughed at her.

We danced for what seemed like forever just looking into each others eyes and making out every now and then. I had to repeatedly scold him to keep him from pulling me into a corner and fucking me right then and there.

"Let's go back to our table I'm starving." I said pulling him through the crowd, we sat down our food was cold but still delicious so we ate and after a minute Buffy and her gang came over.

"Giles says there's a spell we can do to see if Spike has his soul, but we need him to come with to the library, and we have some questions you need to answer" Buffy said with her holier-then-thou glower Spike sighed.

"Will you piss off after your bloody spell?" Spike asked, Buffy looked back at the gang and sighed.

"Once we know what's going on we'll leave you alone, but you have to admit this is really suspicious." Buffy said Faith just looked bored as they lead us out into Oz's van, Spike and I sat in the back leaning against the door of the van with his arm around me.

The ride was short and awkward, and when we got to the school Buffy lead us in a side door that lead right to the library, where Giles was waiting with books and spell components.

"Right, here they are then, and who may I ask might you be?" Giles asked looking at me, I smiled awkwardly with a little wave.

"I'm Leah, um I'm an extra dimensional being, for lack of a better explanation." I explained as best as I could, Giles furrowed his brow at me in curiosity and confusion.

"Really, where did you come from, do you know the future or our thoughts, I've been told you know things you shouldn't be able to?" Giles started in on his barrage of questions taking his glasses off and cleaning them vigorously.

"I'm from a dimension mostly like this one, but I've seen a possible future for you all, um no psychic powers though." I told him, he looked very excited by that.

"Really, what can you tell us about the future?" Giles asked putting his glasses back on, I frowned.

"I don't think I should tell you anything until you need to know." I told him, he frowned but seemed to know not to push since knowing the future was a dangerous thing.

"So future girl hu wicked. Hey are we going to do this spell thing or what B?" Faith asked hopping up onto the table. Buffy looked at Giles questioningly.

"Right, lets get started then. Spike I will need you to step into the circle." Giles instructed, the ritual was pretty simple but kind of over my head, lots of herbs and dead languages and then Spike started to glow.

"So what's the verdict G man?" Faith asked, Spike frowned down at his now glowing form, I went over to him and he put his arm around my waist.

"It would appear they were telling the truth, Spike does indeed have a soul." Giles said sounding very intrigued by the notion.

"Right, so turn this off so we can bugger off, we were in the middle of what I was hoping would be a romantic evening." Spike said, I blushed, and Giles looked down at his book.

"It would appear that these effects will were off in an hour." Giles offered, Spike growled, and I had to stifle a giggle.

"Bloody hell, hey don't laugh at me luv." Spike was distracted from his irritation by my giggles he glowered at me and then leaned down and caught my lips in a passionate kiss.

"So, he's going to glow for a whole hour?" I asked when we broke for air, Faith made a lured woop, while everyone else cleared there throats and Giles cleaned his glasses.

"yes, unfortunately there's really nothing I can do to fix it." Giles admitted, I bit my lip trying to decide if I should tell him about kakistos.

"Well, then I guess we should head back to the crypt and we can work on fixing it up." I said cocking my eye brow at him luridly. Spike smiled leering at me, while I rubbed up against him.

"Right good idea, let's go." He said hurriedly pulling me towards the door, I waved back at the gang.

"It was nice to meet you all." I said as we left, he swept me up into his arms when we got out into the hall so he could kiss me while he walked. We were back at the crypt faster then I thought possible.

"Control your self you horny bastered, let's at least conjure up a bed first." I scolded him teasingly, he set me down gently.

"So you're going to draw, while I do bugger all with this bloody thing?" He asked gesturing to his raging hard on, I gasped at the huge bulge in his tight jeans.

"Wow, um, that was the plan, you should um, wow that is really distracting, you should work on cleaning out the basement cave thing." I told him, he shook his head walking to the back of the room and disappearing down the hole. I went out to the car to grab my sketch book I hadn't realized how dark it was outside until I was out there alone.

"Look at the tasty morsel we have here." A deep voice growled from behind me when I had my head ducked in the car, I came out to look at who was talking holding my art box and sketch book.

"let's just not do this okay." I said looking at the hulking vampire standing before me, he wasn't much of a listener. He lunged at me, I only narrowly escaped his bite by smacking him down with my sketch book.

"Spike!" I yelled running, I pulled out my pen drawing a stake on my hand dropping the rest of my art supplies. The stake materialized in my hand as he grabbed me, pushing himself onto my stake, Spike pulled him off me and he turned to dust. I was laying on the ground my eyes bugged out breathing hard terrified. Spike fell to his knees scooping me up and holding me.

"You're okay luv, I'm here now." A second vampire grabbed him, and he whipped around ripping the things head off in one clean motion snarling in his game face he came back to hold me mumbling reassurances.

"I'm okay, I should know better then to walk alone at night in Sunny dale." I laughed, he kissed me desperately.

"Let me help you get your things luv." He offered helping me up we collected my things from the ground and his car and moved them all into the crypt.

"Well I guess it's not just the sketch book, anything I draw can become real." I said showing him the coarse black stake, he examined it closely.

"This one looks off luv, you figure it's cause you were rushed?" He asked picking me up and dropping into the cave. He set me down and cleared off a spot for me to sit by the wall while he kept cleaning.

"I don't know, but it's kind of cool." I said starting to draw, I made the walls marble, the bed a huge wrote iron canopy bed, the sewer shower a huge whirlpool tub and shower, I put in a oak wood desk with a comfy desk chair, a little kitchen in the corner with a huge fridge all with a hook up to the cities electrical grid, a wall mounted flat screen TV with a full game set up, stairs to the upstairs, with a seamless trap door and a metal triple locked door to the sewers.

It took almost an hour and a half to finish coloring, with burgundies and other deep earthy tones. Spike jumped in surprise when the whole room swirled and changed, watching it gave me a bit of a head ache.

"Bloody perfect luv, you certainly have good taste." Spike gaped at all of it walking around examining it all, he opened the wall cupboard by the TV it opened to the wall.

"That's not what that was supposed to be." I said frowning at it, he shrugged.

"Only what you draw is real luv." He surmised closing it, pulling me to him and kissing me, I set my sketch book on desk. I pulled away reluctantly looking up at him.

"I need to go home tomorrow. I can't stay here." I told him trying not to meet his eyes, all the light went out of his eyes when I said it and it made me want to cry.

"Why?" He asked in a low monotone, with an emotionless mask on his face, I turned away from him painfully.

"This isn't my world my being here will change everything, it already has, I could end the world. My being here will keep you from being with Buffy, which mean you won't be there to protect her, and if she dies it would all end." I told him tears falling down my face while I struggled not to whimper, he was the best thing that ever happened to me and I couldn't have him because the world needed him more then I ever could.

"Bollocks, if she needs protecting we'll do it together, and even if the world fell down around our ears, I'd rather it end then live forever with out you luv." Spike growled turning me around forcing me to look at him. "You said it your self when I care about someone I don't do it half way. I may be bug shagging crazy, I don't even know your last name but I don't want to lose you." Spike held my eyes with his stare, it was so intense and full of pain. It made me want to collapse into him and let him hold me forever.

"It's Fey, Leah Junara Fey, and I don't want to lose you either but, I still have to go, tomorrow." I told him, his eyes went yellow for a second and then his face went blank.

"Fine, just let me be with you tonight luv, give me that." He pleaded brushing the hair out off my cheek gently I kissed him passionately slipping my hands under his shirt. He slid his coat off me and picked me up laying me down on the bed.

We slid off our clothes slowly letting every detail of his perfect body sear into my memory while he whispered endearments. We made love for hours, I'd never felt so loved, or pleased by anything in my life. I fell asleep in his arms wishing that I'd never have to leave, why did my life work like this.

Spike didn't sleep a wink, he just laid there watching me sleep, I knew because every time I woke up he held me closer soothing my hair back and whispering endearments. When I finally couldn't make myself stay asleep any longer I sat up looking him in the eyes.

"Good morning luv." Spike said brushing my hair out of my face gently, I leaned over kissing him longingly. I sat up slipping out of the bed still naked, I headed for the shower in a fog, I didn't want to leave him. I slipped into the shower turning the hot water on, Spike came in behind me holding me to him.

"How'd you sleep luv?" He asked as I let the hot water sooth away the pain I felt and relax into Spike's arms trying desperately to freeze this moment.

"Better then I ever have, you didn't sleep at all though, did you?" I asked him turning to face him, he leaned down and kissed me.

"I would rather be falling down tired, then miss a minute with you." Spike explained, kissing me, by the time we got around to actual showering the water was hardly luke warm. We spent the next four hours back in bed, neither one of us wanted to do anything. But eventually I got to hungry to just lay there anymore.

"Lets go somewhere and get breakfast." I said looking for my clothes, Spike sat up putting on pants.

"It's almost five in the morning luv, we can pick something up but not a lot of restaurants are still open." Spike told me tossing me my thong, I got dressed thinking about what we should do.

"We should pick-nick, we can go get food and then find some place nice to sit and eat." I said taking out a piece of chalk, and drawing a checkered blanket on the floor. I picked it up and folded it when it materialized.

"Sounds good luv." Spike said pulling me to him and kissing me, we went down to a convenience store and I picked up some munchy goodness while spike swung by the butchers to get his own snack.

"I love looking up at the stars at night, it makes me feel so connected to everything, everywhere, ya know. Like I can just look up and I know that hundreds, even thousands of people looking at the same sky." I told him munching on a soft pretzel with cheese, he looked over at me with a knowing smile.

"Well I promise luv, when you go back I'll look up every night and know that we're looking at the same sky." He told me, I could tell he was trying to say things that would make me rethink leaving and it was working.

"Careful lover your poets showing." I teased him, he just rolled towards me kissing me.

"What can I say luv, you bring the best out in me, turning me into a right ponce you are." Spike told me looking into my eyes, his whole soul was shining in those ice blue eyes of his.

"Well I like this side of you, but then again, I like every side of you." I admitted with a small smile, he was running his hand down my side gently kissing my neck.

"Let go home, I should be getting back soon." I said getting up reluctantly, I could feel the hollow spot in my heart already. He got up after me trying not to growl in the frustration that we both felt. I just couldn't stay, I couldn't risk changing the world, they needed him and I couldn't be so selfish as to take him away.

"Stay with me luv." He pleaded one last time as I opened the trap door into the bed room, I

stopped flopping down on the top step, he came and sat next to me.

"I can't." I sobbed, leaning on his shoulder, he put his arm around me kissing the top of my head.

"Can't blame a man for trying luv." Spike said holding me desperately, I clung to him wanting to remember everything about the way he felt.

"This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do." I whispered into the nape of his neck, he nodded, I knew he understood how hard this was, but he'd never understand why I had to go.

"I know luv, I know." He said we stayed like that for a long time before either of us could bring ourselves to get up. When we did, I went to the desk sketching out the portal, a much smaller portal this time. Spike was busying himself by moving all of my things to one spot so we could get them through the portal. He sat down on the bed holding my self portrait.

"Can I hold on to this luv?" Spike asked showing me the picture, I smiled over at him.

"I'd like that." I told him, he took off his coat looking down at it for a second, he wrapped it around my shoulders.

"Keep this warm for me luv." Spike said walking over to the wall, he pulled a nail out of the cupboard and slid it into the wall somewhere else with one hand and hung the picture on it.

"You want me to keep your trench coat, it's like your second skin?" I asked slipping into it gratefully, he came over and kissed my neck.

"I want you to have it luv, that way part of me will always be with you." Spike whispered into my ear, sending a shiver down my whole body.

"Thank you, Spike, I love you. No matter what happens after I leave I will always love you." I sobbed getting up to hold him, this really was so hard, I just wanted him to know how I felt before I left, to know that he was loved. He deserved that much. Spike buried his face in my hair I could feel his tears against my neck, while he clung to me hopelessly.

"Leah, I love you so much. I, no one has ever..." Spike couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence, but I knew what he was talking about.

"I know, me either, I love you more then I thought I ever could much less in so little time." I told him he kissed me again his lips were lacing fire through my veins, tasting him was like a drug, my own narcotic. His touch breathing me to life, like I'd spent my whole life with my eyes closed.

Three hours later I was back trying to finish my picture, I was stalling I knew it, but I didn't want to go. This whole day had been this crazy emotional roller coaster of pain and I'd had more sex today then I had in the last month. I was very torn about the whole ordeal, but I had to go back, I had to.

"I'm done." I said as the barely person sized portal swirled into existence pulling my things through it as soon as it formed. Spike came over to me pulling me into a hug, one of those hugs that people reserve for dieing lovers. I hugged him back as tightly as I could, crying openly now, he was right there with me. I felt like my heart was being torn out slowly and crushed.

"Promise me something?' I pleaded, he backed away looking me in the eyes.

"Anything." He promised, his eyes searing into my soul.

"Don't let this drag you down, don't go get drunk every night, and lose your self. Keep being you, keep moving and living, keep loving the fight, you're a force of nature, don't change." I told him, he managed a weak smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"I promise, luv" He was looking at me like I might just disappear.

"I love you William Pratt, try not to miss me too much." I told him kissing him good bye and backing towards the portal, I could feel it pulling at me.

"Not possible, I Love you Leah Junara Fey, take care of your self luv." His voice was not much more then a whisper and then I disappeared into the portal. I was standing in my apartment all alone, my stuff strewn on the floor, it was so empty. I just collapsed on the floor crying so hard I could hardly breath, I was starting to wonder if I'd ever be able to stop.


	4. Chapter 4

I spent the next week in a haze, I went out with my friends and went to my gallery opening, I even went to my stupid family party, but I didn't feel any of it. I might as well have not even been there I had the socializing ability of a wet towel. I finally had a sane thought in my head two weeks later, I still felt like my world was gone and I couldn't breath but I'd thought of a way to make it easier.

I drew a pedestal in my room with a bowel of water on top, it was a scrying bowel, or I hoped that's how it would work. I tossed my sketch book down and went over to the bowel putting my hands on the sides and focusing on Spike.

An image of him swirled up in the bowel he was outside the school looking up at the sky, he furrowed his brow for a moment then smiled, waggling an eyebrow. It was almost like he knew I was there, he nodded and then went inside. I watched him go into the library while I clung to his jacket, it still smelled like him.

Buffy and the gang all greeted him, Gwendoline Post was there, I sneered at her, spike didn't seem to care for her either, he turned around to leave and Faith rushed after him. Ugh she was such a slut, I thought but well I couldn't help it, I didn't really think that but I just hated that I wasn't the one standing there with him.

I watched him argue with Angel, and Buffy, I watched him help Buffy when she lost her strength, and Faith try fruitlessly to get into his pants. I watched him help defeat the mayor and become one of Buffy's closest friends. I watched him fight the commandos and help stop Adam, and become a brother figure for Dawn.

I watched as they all wondered where that mysterious girls went, and Spike looked up at the stars every night. As he became friends with Oz, and even Xander, as he finally found a place where he fit in, but he still didn't look happy and he spurned everyone's advances. I just watched and lived, and cried, I was watching him sitting on the bed staring at my portrait too hollow to cry sipping on a bottle of jack, not trying to get drunk just taking solace in it.

I was losing my will to stay away, Spike had gone so far as to try and find a way back to me magically, and here I was just watching him. It wasn't until Buffy's mom was in the hospital that I knew I couldn't stay gone, Spike was talking to Buffy about his past kills, and I realized something if I didn't go back Buffy would die and then the first would rise, and Spike would sacrifice himself to save them and come back at Angel's and then live in hell for a while.

I don't think I could watch him die, much less burn alive in the mouth of hell. I could stop it, Anya could live, and none of the potentials would have to die, Sunnydale could stay a town, I could even save Joyce. What would happen if I changed it, what if it got worse. I kept trying to convenience myself not to go, but if it got worse, I would fix it, Spike and I together we'd make it work. I couldn't take this pain for another second.

It took me a few days to get everything in order I pulled on his jacket over the scrubs I'd gotten and stuffed all my most important things into a duffel bag and hastily drew a portal in my living room. I took all my money and left the door unlocked, I was never coming back no matter what happened.

I stepped through the portal into the hospital bathroom, I threw the duffel bag over my shoulder and marched out with meaning in my stride and found the first doctor I could.

"I need to speak to you, I just found out that Joyce Summers has a very high risk of complications after her surgery, you need to keep her three extra days and do regular scans, understood?" I said with authority, he nodded.

"Yes doctor, you must be the specialist they sent over." He said taking note of my instructions on his clip board, I just nodded and walked away as he went to in act my orders. I went to find Spike, I knew Buffy would be out in the waiting area since her mom was in the operating room.

"Hey guys, don't worry Joyce will be fine, also where's Spike?" I asked when I found everyone, They all looked up at me in shock.

"Leah, wow didn't expect to see you here." Xander said, Riley, Tara, Dawn, and Anya all looked confused, Buffy seemed stuck on what I'd said rather then my being here.

"Mom's going to be okay?" She asked desperately, I smiled genuinely for the first time in over a year.

"Yes, just um make sure they keep her a little longer then they recommend and that she gets scans weekly for the next few months." I told her reassuringly, she sighed in relief sliding down in her chair.

"Um sorry to interrupt and all but who are you?" Riley asked, Willow was the one to offer an explanation.

"She's from a different dimension, she's the girl Spike talks about all the time, she has outsider knowledge on the future, we didn't actually know her that well." Willow explained Riley nodded.

"Riley aren't you supposed to be gone, wait not yet never mind, Tara, Anya it's nice to meet you, I really do need to find Spike though, but I will see you guys at the magic box tomorrow and I will help with the Glory thing, oh but in the meantime stay away from Ben the man nurse trust me." I told them, they mostly looked at me like I was crazy.

"Spike should be in his crypt." Tara told me, I smiled turning to leave.

"Thank you." I said walking away, Restfield was way further away then I expected, not to mention there was a lot of Sunnydale that I'd never seen before. I was paralyzed outside the crypt for almost fifteen minutes, what if he didn't want to see me. Eventually though I couldn't stall anymore and I opened the door.

"Spike." I said quietly, the seamless trap door slid open and Spike stepping out in an open button up red shirt.

"Leah!" He asked mouth agape, just staring at me, I dropped my bag and ran to him leaping into his arms kissing him from his lips to his shoulders.

"Hi." I whispered, he just stared at me in awe holding me tightly.

"You're, you're really here. Luv, I, I missed you. Bloody hell, you're really here. I can't believe this is real. I've had so many dreams about this, I can't even tell if they're real any more." Spike stammered still not sure I was real.

"I'm really here, I missed you so much, I watched you every day. I'm going to stay this time, I love you, I can't be without you any more." I told him honestly, he picked me up and swept me into the bed room.

"I love you. Oh I missed you so much luv." He whispered endearments while he brought me to the bed laying me down. We were laying down holding each other while I traced the muscles on his chest hours later.

"There was actually something I needed to tell you, about the Glory thing, but you seem to have distracted me." I told him, he continued to be distracting by kissing his way from my neck to my navel, while I moaned. I buried my fingers in his hair as he illustrated his talents with his tongue.

"Bloody ambrosia you are luv, now what did you need to tell me?" Spike asked when he was finished, and I'd finished three or four times.

"Um, ya, um, it's important, right. Glory, the hell god, she has to share her body with a guy named Ben he works at the hospital. Um we need to get Olaf's hammer and the orb Buffy found, and to keep Dawn and Tara away and um some magicy goodness." I told him kissing him every other word, he stopped backing up to look at me.

"Telling me the future now are you luv, the slayerettes will sure appreciate the info, but for now I'm just glad you're here. I'm a little knackered though, so let's get a few winks in before we charge off to fight this hell god." Spike offered I snuggled up next to him completely content laying my head on his chest while he held me.

I fell asleep as soon as my eyes closed and this time when I woke up Spike was asleep too, he opened his eyes when I stirred. He smiled down at me sleepily kissing the top of my head lovingly, I couldn't help but smile.

"I guess we should get to the magic box soon, it is daylight now isn't it?" I asked, he nodded sitting up and looking around for our clothes which were thrown everywhere around the room. I looked around and realized there was no mirror or hairbrush, or any other feminine product in the house. I took out a pen and drew an elegant brush on a scrap of paper so I could brush the knots out of my hair.

"Okay, I know I wore a bra." I said looking around the room, Spike tossed it to me with a leer, I smiled putting it on quickly.

"Don't get too used to those luv, won't be in them for long." Spike told me, I laughed walking over to him, he picked me off the ground kissing me and moving towards the bed.

"Mm, oh, bad Spike, we have to go." I said slapping his chest lightly, he set me down his lips never leaving my flesh, while he trailed fire down my skin as he fell to his knees kissing every bit of me he could reach on the way down.

"You're a goddess luv, I just can't stop touching you. Terrified out of my wits that if I turn my back I'll wake up alone." He told me while I struggled to want to leave the crypt.

"How'd you get so perfect?" I asked, he stood up leading me to the door to the sewers, finally accepting that we had to leave.

"Years of practice and rejection, lets not keep 'em waiting luv or we might never get out of bed." Spike said opening the sewer door, the rank smell wafted in, we left with me holding my nose and Spike simply not breathing.

"I'm glad you know your way around, because I'd be so very lost." I said looking around at the numerous branches in the tunnel we were following while he lead me by the hand.

"I'd never let you get lost luv." Spike said pulling me in for a kiss, before he helped me up the ladder into the basement of the magic box.

"Hello all, fear not I'm here with the big important bad guy news." I said as I walked upstairs, everyone was sitting at the table researching while Anya was behind the desk.

"Ah, right then what can you tell us about her?" Giles asked getting right to the point, I came over and sat on the counter, Spike came in after me standing next to me.

"Right here we go, Glory, better known as Glorificus, is a hell god she was booted from her dimension by the other two ruling gods and trapped in the body of a baby boy. They exist in the same body, his name is Ben and she has some kind of perception filter kind of blanket spell that will make you forget that Glory is Ben. We'll need to break that first, the orb you found disrupts her connection some how, it weakens her, Willow be sure to work on that sunlight spell here, Glory is sucking the sanity out of people in order to keep her mind from falling apart. Tara, you need to stay away from her and so do you Dawn, there should be some protection spells that could help. Um she's living in a mansion type place, and Ben works at the hospital. I think that's it, oh wait has the snake thing happened yet cause if not then you should watch out for one giant snake. That's all I've got" I told them they all just stared a little over whelmed.

"Wait what does Ben have to do with any of this?" Xander asked looking very confused I shook my head.

"I'll explain again once we've taken care of the spell she has on the town, Tara could you look into spells that make people forget certain things right after they figure it out." I said Tara got up moving to collect books to research.

"So the orb will weaken her, cool lets just go and kick her ass with it." Buffy offered getting up, I held up my hands.

"No, that is a truly bad idea. We can't reveal it to her until we have all the cards, she's stronger then you and if you show her that you have an advantage she'll rip it away from us. Honestly the best plan would be for you all to leave town until the summer. A lot of people will be in danger but if we do this wrong Buffy could die." I told them Buffy was shocked into silence along with most of the table.

"Okay, you've got our attention, we'll do it your way." Xander said looking as worried as everyone else, well everyone but Anya who didn't really have an opinion.

"Quite right, we'll take this slow, nothing bad will happen Buffy." Giles reassured her, everyone was quick to agree with him.

"Just be sure to try that day light spell, and Giles maybe the council has more information on Glory, you should still go to England and check on it." I told them, Giles nodded and they were all quiet for a long moment, Spike put his arm around me lovingly.

"Well now that we've gotten that out of the way, how did you get back here, and where have you been?" Willow asked, trying to change the topic.

"Well, I had to leave to make sure certain things happened but now I'm back via portal to help keep Buffy alive, among other things. If she dies a lot of bad things happen chief among them Sunnydale becomes a huge smoking crater to destroy the hell mouth." I told them looking at spike and squeezing his hand.

"Wow, I guess I'm more important to Sunnydale then I thought." Buffy joked, Dawn frowned at her seriously.

"Don't joke about that Buffy, you can't leave me. We're not going to let you die." Dawn said emphaticly, Buffy looked ashamed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way, I promise I'll stay safe." Buffy told her, she seemed to accept her promise, and everyone was quiet again. I didn't really know what to say now.

"Well as fascinating as this is luv, I'm a bit knackered." Spike said leaning in and whispering some very dirty suggestions of what we could do. I blushed hopping down off the counter and into his arms.

"I'm not sure there's anything for the two of you to do at the moment, I don't think you'll be missed." Giles said taking his glasses off to clean them, and avoid seeing spikes vigorous use of his tongue as he kissed me. Dawn had turned red at the display.

"Have fun with your orgasms, I suspect he's very good at it." Anya said in a blunt congratulatory kind of way, I laughed.

"Anya, you are spectacular, don't let anyone tell you differently. Oh Xander I need to tell you something before we go. It's probably not something you want every one to here." I said gesturing to the training room, I went back there with him reluctantly leaving Spike.

"What's the fuss?" Xander asked as I closed the door, I sighed this one was going to be hard to explain.

"Don't propose to Anya until you are absolutely sure you're ready, you have all these insecurities and if you do it too soon you'll abandon her at the alter and lose her forever. A demon will pretend to be you and show you a fake future that scares you off." I told him, he just stood there in shock, knowing the future was a pain in the butt.

"Wow that's um, that's big, huge actually. Are you sure?" He asked looking nervous, I smiled reassuringly.

"As long as you don't leave her at the alter everything is fine I promise, so just get your self in order before you propose okay." I said patting him on the shoulder and going back out to the other room.

"Giles, Tara could I talk to you guys next, wow I feel like a principle or something, this is really odd for me too." I told them, Giles and Tara looked concerned but they came back to talk to me.

"What is it that you needed to tell us?" Giles asked, I grimaced this one was delicate.

"I need you two to keep an eye on Willows magic, she has a high risk of becoming addicted, we need her magic to defeat Glory but after that she's going to need help in a big way and Tara you're a big part of that. I think maybe if you got her a teacher from that coven in England someone who could teach her about the side of magic that isn't the dark arts." I told them, Tara looked upset, and so did Giles.

"I, I w-worry about her." Tara stuttered I put my hand on her shoulder reassuringly and turned to Giles waiting for his barrage of questions or a helpful phrase.

"I've been worried for some time now, I admit it is a bit unsettling to have my suspicions confirmed." Giles told me, I shrugged not sure how much to tell them.

"Well as long as you keep an eye out things should be fine. Send in Buffy will you, then I should be done with the shocking news, oh and don't tell Willow what I said, this is a delicate matter." I told them, they walked out and a few seconds later Buffy came back.

"I'm a little worried now, everyone's coming out of here with worry face." Buffy said looking at me expectantly, I nodded she had a point.

"Well, you probably not going to like this either. I'm pretty sure you already know Dawn's the key, but what you don't know is that during the cultural festival Tara gets her sanity sucked and inadvertently tells Glory about her, we should be able to stop Glory before she ever gets to Tara or Dawn, but if we can't you'll need to let me and Spike take Dawn away while you kill her. She has a time limit to get the key, if we can keep her away from Glory long enough, she'll leave her alone." I told her, she looked pale.

"Thank you, I'll keep her safe, can you tell me anything else?" Buffy asked barely more then a whisper.

"Um, there's some kind of knight order that is after the key, you should go to them and pretend to be there friend, um you could tell them Ben is the key, it could solve all your problems." I told her, I didn't remember much about the knights, but it seemed like a good plan. Buffy nodded pensively, trying to decide what she was going to do with what I'd told her.

"Be careful with them though, if they find out about Dawn they'll try to kill her." I told her, she nodded curtly walking away, I went back out to he other room gong straight to Spike, who held me close.

"Let's get out of here luv." Spike said kissing my neck, I smiled putting my arm around him.

"ya, I think I've done all I can, let's go home."

-The End-


End file.
